Bag seal



BAG SEAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 12, 1964 III/II, I 02 0;

/ ya INVENTOR:

4 TTOENEV Dec. 20, 1966 s. M. MOBERG 3,292,961

BAG SEAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 12, 1964 I III-I...

INVENTOR: fizz/e0 M M05526 United States Patent Jersey Filed Oct. 12, 1964, Ser. No. 403,291 7 Claims. (Cl. 292-311) This invention relates to seals for closing bags in such manner that the seal cannot be opened to open the bag without rendering the same seal non-reusable. A seal according to this invention employs a tape as a shackle and embodies improvements over tape-shackle bag seals disclosed in United States Patent No. 3,117,812, dated January 14, 1964, to which those considering this invention are referred.

While seals as disclosed in said patent have generally proven very satisfactory, there are conditions under which they could be at least loosened sufficiently to enable them to he slipped from the bag neck, to gain access to the bags contents. Then, the same seal could be put back upon the bag, thereby delaying discovery of theft from the bag and frustrating later efforts to discover at what time or location the theft had occurred. Conditions possibly enabling such opening and reclosing of a bag sealed according to said patent could, for example, be that the clinching of the deformable sealing element with a clinching tool to close the seal, had been done loosely or with insuificient clinching force, or had been done with the clinching tool improperly located upon the deformable sealing element.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a bag seal which strongly opposes opening or loosening thereof even if the clinching of the seals deformable sealing element may have been imperfectly performed.

The principal feature of this invention by which the mentioned object is accomplished is the provision of a reentrant bridge in a deformable, sheet metal tape-gripping element; the bridge in the seal, as manufactured, having enough clearance thereunder to permit a tape shackle of the seal to he slid easily under it in threading the tape through the tape-gripping element, but being collapsed tightly upon the tape when the tape-gripping element is deformed upon application of the seal to the neck of a bag to be closed. The collapsing of the bridge not only squeezes the tape tightly thereunder but edges of the sheet metal of which the bridge is formed engage the tape tightly and strongly oppose slipping thereof in the tape-gripping element.

A preferred embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings for illustrative purposes and Without limiting the invention to that particular embodiment.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a bag seal according to this invention as sealed upon a neck of a bag.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view substantially on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the seal with the tape shackle in looped condition in readiness to be clinched closed upon a bag neck; the bag being omitted to disclose details of the seal.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a partially processed but still substantially fiat sheet'metal blank to be used in forming a tape-gripping element of the seal.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of said blank ina further processed condition.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of said blank, further processed to a stage at which it is ready for the attachment of one end of a tape shackle thereto as a step in the manufacture of the seal.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the blank, now a tapegripping element, with one end of the tape shackle firmly clinched within an assembling clinching portion of said element and a deformable sealing element aligned with a sealing clinching portion of said element in position to be pushed tightly onto the latter portion to complete assembling of the parts of the seal in the manufacture thereof.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of FIG. 6 showing the reentrant form of the mentioned bridge.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view on the line 9-9 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a sectional View on the line 10-10 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view on the line 11-11 of FIG. 1.

The illustrated seal comprises three principal elements; a sheet metal tape-gripping element 10, a length of suitable tape 12, one end of which is attached to said element toward one end thereof in the manufacture of the seal, and a deformable sealing element or block 14 which, in non-deformed condition, is slid tightly onto the other end of said tape-gripping element in the manufacture of the seal. a

The tape-gripping element 10 is formed of sheet metal which is bendable and deformable by suitable bending and deforming tools and which tends strongly to retain a shape to which it is bent or deformed. The first important stage in the making of this element is the stamping and/or cutting of a piece of the sheet metal into a substantially flat blank 16 of a shape and condition shown in FIG. 4.

In that condition, the blank 16 has a tab 18, side ears 20 of a first central area 22 adjoining the tab 18, a neck 24 adjoining the area 22, and side ears 26, 26a of a sec ond central area 28, adjoining the neck 24. As viewed in FIG. 4, the top of the tab 18 is flared rearwardly as at 30 and said tab is lightly scored at 32 to localize a bend thereafter to be given to the tab; and a hole 34 is provided centrally in area 22.

The flat blank 16 also has a substantial portion of the neck 24 deformed upwardly from the main plane of the blank as at 36, for strengthening said neck, and the lower limit of the deformed portion 36 is formed as downwardly or rearwardly directed teeth 38 partly defining a trans verse, oblong opening 40. Also, as viewed in FIG. 4, the two ears 26, 26a have light, parallel score lines 42, and parallel transverse slits or cuts 44 are formed in the central area 28 and extend partially into the two ears 26, 26a. Each of the latter ears is formed with short, transversely extending and transversely aligned indentations 46, the ear 26a has an internal ramp 48 pressed rearwardly into the fiat blank, the lower edge of central area 28 is sharply depressed rearwardly to provide teeth 50, and a narrow part of the upper margin of ear 26a is formed as a forwardly flared lip 51.

In the manufacture of the seal, the blank 16, by suitable metal-forrning apparatus, is bent successively from its FIG. 4 condition to its several conditions shown in' FIGS. 5, 6, and 7. Thus, as viewed in the latter figures, the ears 20 are bent upwardly and inwardly in overlapping relationship to form a first tape-receiving passage 52 (FIG. 6) of an assembling tape-clinching portion 54 of the sheet metal element; and the ears 26, 26a are bent, first downwardly as in FIG. 5, then inwardly and upwardly as in FIG. 6, the score lines 42 serving to localize the latter bends. This bending of the ears 26, 26a forms a second tape-receiving passage 56 (FIGS. 6 and 7) of a sealing tape-clinching portion 58.

A further, very important deformation is given to the blank 16 to form the sheet metal element 10 in that the sheet metal in the area 60 between the cuts 44 (FIG. 4) is pressed downwardly to form a reentrant saddle or bridge 62 of a shape best understood from FIGS. 5, 8,.

and 10. While the saddle is thus being formed, the indentations 46 serve as strengthening ribs to prevent collapsing of the sheet metal which form the narrower side walls of the clinching portion 58 of the sheet metal element. The saddle 62 serves to impart a very tight gripping or locking action upon tape sealingly clinched within the sealing clinching portion 58 as hereinafter explained.

The sealing block 14 may be of suitable lead or suitable plastic material, cast or molded to its illustrated shape. The lead or plastic of which the sealing block is formed should be such that it remains very closely in the shape to which it may be deformed. The block 14 has a cross sectionally rectangular, longitudinal passage 64 (FIG. 7) extending completely therethrough. For the most part, this passage is of such size as to receive the sealing clinching portion 58 of the sheet metal element tightly therewithin. The outer end 66 of said passage may be somewhat constricted to a size somewhat smaller than the cross-sectional size of the sealing clinching portion 58 but large enough to permit an end of the tape 12 to project therethrough.

The sealing block 14 preferably is formed with lateral shoulders 68 at the blocks inner end and at opposite sides thereof, and with lugs 70 at the blocks inner end and at opposite sides of the inner end of the passage 64.

The tape 12, preferably, should be of strong fabric as, for example, regenerated cellulose material. The tape used is of suitable length and has an anchored end portion 12a which, in manufacture of the seal, is formed with a square cut extremity and is inserted, in the direction of the arrow x (FIG. 6), into the passage 52 of the sheet metal element 10, whereafter the assembling clinching portion 54 is very forcibly clinched, by suitable tools, to an undulant form as shown clearly in FIGS. 2, 3, 7, and 11. This clinching is so forceful that the tape cannot slip out of the clinching portion 54 of the sheet metal element. A further safeguard against such slippage is provided by the hole 34 in the sheet metal, the clinching having the effect of causing the tape to protrude at least slightly into said hole (FIG. 11) so that the metal edges defining the hole bite somewhat into the tape without, however, rupturing it. The hole 34 also serves as some indication, to the operator of the clinching tool or machine, that the tape has been inserted into the passage 52 to an adequate extent.

In the seal, as manufactured and delivered to a user, the tape 12 is free, except as anchored at its end 12a to the clinching portion 54 of the sheet metal element as hereinbefore described.

The manufacture of the seal is completed by the pushing of the sealing clinching portion 58 into the passage 64 of the sealing block 14 in the direction of arrow y of FIG. '7; the clinching portion 58 being a tight fit in said passage to prevent it from becoming separated from the sealing block.

The described seal is applied to the neck of a bag by looping an intermediate part 12b of the tape about the bag neck and inserting a threading end 120 of the tape into the back end of and through the tape-receiving passage 56 of the sealing clinching portion 58 of the sheet metal element, which portion, at that time extends straight through the sealing block.

Thereafter, with the tape end 120 protruding from the outer end of the sealing block and the tape manually tightened about the bag neck a, sealing tool (not shown), of a character well known to persons using deformable bag seals, is applied to the sealing block 14 with opposed deforming dies of said tool in position to engage the opposite broad sides of said block. The sealing tool may be properly positioned on the block by being held against the blocks shoulders 68.

Then, a lever-operated tightening mechanism, comvery tightly about the bag neck, whereafter the sealing tool is operated to cause the deforming dies to squeeze the block 14 very forcibly, and deform it into its undulant form shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 11 to clinch the tape firmly within the sheet metal clinching portion 58 within the block 14.

The threading end of the tape is formed with an obliquely cut extremity 12d which aids the threading of the tape, by the user, through the passage 56 of the sheet metal element. This threading, being effected in a rightward direction in said passage as viewed in FIG. 10, is

aided first by the flared lip 51 which helps to start the tape into the passage 56. As the tapes extremity moves within have been deformed and tightly clinched upon the tape, the latter is held firmly, against slippage, not only by the deformed block and sheet metal, but also by the teeth 38 (see FIG. 11 which is inverted as compared to FIG.

10) which become embedded into the tape and by the saddle 62 and an opening 62a which was created upon the shaping of the sheet metal to form said saddle. The saddle 62 and its side edges become embedded into the 1 tape to oppose slipping thereof and, when the block and sheet metal are deformed by the sealing tool, the saddle is squeezed toward the opening 62a, thereby forcibly causing the tape to bulge into said opening; this also opposing slipping of the tape. It will be understood, from the foregoing, that the saddle 62 makes an important contribution to the prevention of opening the seal without rendering it non-reusable.

The lugs 70, at the inner end of the sealing block 14, firmly engage the bag neck and, to some extent, become embedded in said neck or in folds thereof to oppose twisting of the sealing block which might accidentally occur in handling of the sealed bag. The prevention of such twisting gives substantial assurance against accidental breakage of the sheet metal element 10 at the point where it enters the sealing block.

It should be understood that the concepts disclosed herein may be utilized in various other ways without, however, departing from this invention as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A bag seal comprising, in its condition prior to use, a length of tape, a deformable sealing element and a deformable tape-gripping element to a first portion of which one end of said tape is fixedly connected, said tape-gripping element having a tubular second portion, oblong in cross-section, extending into said sealing element within a space in the latter and adapted, in use of the seal, to receive and grip a distal portion of said tape, said sealing element and said second portion together being deformable to clinch and hold said distal portion of the tape, and said second portion of the tape-gripping element having opposite fiat walls one of which is uninterrupted and the other of which has a narrow, transverse saddle offset toward said one fiat wall, providing a tape receiving space between the saddle and said other flat wall; side edges of said saddle, and edge portions of said other wall being adapted to grip a portion of the tape therebetween, when said sealing element and said second portion are clinchingly deformed upon the tape.

2. A bag seal comprising a length of tape, a deformable sealing block of material of such character as to tenaciously retain a deformed condition, and a sheet metal tape-gripping element to a first portion of which one end of said tape is fixedly connected, said tape-gripping element having a deformable, tubular second portion extending into said block, and adapted, in use of the seal, to receive therein a distal portion of said tape; said tubular second portion having opposite flat walls one of which is uninterrupted and the other of which has a reentrant wall portion, partially cut from said other wall, constituting a saddle having side edges which, with side edges of said other flat wall caused by the partial cutting of the latter wall to form the saddle, firmly engage and grip said distal tape portion therebetween when said block and said second portion therewithin are deformed.

3. A bag seal comprising a length of tape, a deformable sealing block of material of such character as to tenaciously retain a deformed condition, and a sheet metal tape-gripping element to a first portion of which one end of said tape is fixedly connected, said tape-gripping element having a deformable, tubular second portion extending into said block, and adapted, in use of the seal, to receive therein a distal portion of said tape; said tubular second portion having a reentrant wall portion constituting a saddle having side edges which, with side edges of a wall portion of said tubular portion spaced transversely from said saddle, firmly engage and grip said distal tape portion therebetween when said block and said second portion therewithin are deformed, said saddle being in a plane between the planes of two opposite walls of said tubular portion, and one of said opposite walls having an inwardly extending ramp adjacent to said saddle for guiding an end portion of said tape between said saddle and the one of said opposite walls which is farthest from the saddle.

4. A bag seal according to claim 2, said saddle comprising a pressed-in portion of said other flat wall and being disposed closer to said one fiat wall than to said other flat wall, and said one flat wall being deformed inwardly to provide a ramp, the top of which is so disposed in relation to said saddle as to guide said tape between said saddle and said other wall.

5. A bag seal comprising a length of tape, a deformable sealing block of material of such character as to tenaciously retain a deformed condition, and a sheet metal tape-gripping element to a first portion of which one end of said tape is fixedly connected, said tape-gripping element having a deformable, tubular second portion extending into said block, and adapted, in use of the seal, to receive a distal portion of said tape therewithin; said tubular second portion being formed with a passage of oblong shape in cross-section to closely receive said distal tape portion therein and having a first wall which is uninterrupted, and a second wall, parallel to said first wall, having transverse cuts therein defining a bridge portion therebetween which bridge portion is bent inwardly from its original plane to a new plane parallel to said original plane to form a tape-receiving passage between the inwardly bent bridge portion and the wall from which said bridge portion was bent; the said bridge portion and said second wall gripping the distal tape portion firmly therebetween when said block and said tubular portion of the tape-gripping element are deformed.

6. A bag seal comprising a length of tape, a deformable sealing block of material of such character as to tenaciously retain a deformed condition, and a sheet metal tape-gripping element to a first portion of which one end of said tape is fixedly connected, said tape-gripping element having a deformable, tubular second portion extending into said block, and adapted, in use of the seal, to receive a distal portion of said tape therewithin; said tubular second portion being formed with a passage of oblong shape in cross-section to closely receive said distal tape portion therein and having a wall with spaced, transverse cuts therein defining a bridge portion therebetween which bridge portion is bent in wardly from its original plane to a new plane parallel to said original plane to form a tape-receiving passage between the inwardly bent bridge portion and the wall from which said bridge portion was bent; the said bridge portion and said wall gripping the distal tape portion firmly therebetween when said block and said tubular portion of the tape-gripping element are deformed, said block being formed with a longitudinally extending passage therein of oblong shape in cross-section to receive said tubular second portion of the sheet metal element tightly therewithin, and said block having lugs protruding longitudinally therefrom at opposite sides of the inner end of said passage, which lugs forcefully engage a bag to which the seal is applied, to oppose twisting of the sheet metal element at a location between the latters said first and second portions.

7. A bag seal according to claim 6, said lugs being located at opposite shorter sides of the oblong conformation of the inner end of the passage in the block.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,496,885 6/ 1924 Jones 292308 2,169,593 8/1939 Popp 339276 X 2,496,905 2/ 1950 Brooks 292-310 3,031,638 4/1962 Bertram et al 339217 3,117,812 l/1964 Brooks et al. 292-611 FOREIGN PATENTS 60,223 4/ 1912 Switzerland.

EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD E. MOORE, Examiner. 

1. A BAG SEAL COMPRISING, IN ITS CONDITION PRIOR TO USE, A LENGTH OF TAPE, A DEFORMABLE SEALING ELEMENT AND A DEFORMABLE TAPE-GRIPPING ELEMENT TO A FIRST PORTION OF WHICH ONE END OF SAID TAPE IS FIXEDLY CONNECTED, SID TAPE-GRIPPING ELEMENT HAVING A TUBULAR SECOND PORTION, OBLONG IN CROSS-SECTION, EXTENDING INTO SAID SEALING ELEMENT WITHIN A SPACE IN THE LATTER AND ADAPTED, IN USE OF THE SEAL, TO RECEIVE AND GRIP A DISTAL PORTION OF SAID TAPE, SAID SEALING ELEMENT AND SAID SECOND PORTION TOGETHER BEING DEFORMABLE TO CLINCH AND HOLD SAID DISTAL PORTION OF THE TAPE, AND SAID SECOND PORTION OF THE TAPE-GRIPPING ELEMENT HAVING OPPOSITE FLAT WALLS ONE OF WHICH IS UNINTERRUPTED AND THE OTHER OF WHICH HAS A NARROW, TRANSVERSE SADDLE OFFSET TOWARD SAID ONE FLAT WALL, PROVIDING A TAPE RECEIVING SPACE BETWEEN THE SADDLE AND SAID OTHER FLAT WALL; SIDE EDGES OF SAID SADDLE, AND EDGE PORTIONS OF SAID OTHER WALL BEING ADAPTED TO GRIP A PORTION OF THE TAPE THEREBETWEEN, WHEN SAID SEALING ELEMENT AND SAID SECOND PORTION ARE CLINCHINGLY DEFORMED UPON THE TAPE. 